Recreational vehicles, such as water vehicles, are usually transported from one location to another by use of a towed trailer on which the vehicle is mounted. Typically, these trailers are towed by an automobile having a towing rig mounted at the back end of the automobile.
Laws in many states require that vehicle lighting systems be mounted at the rear end of the trailer. These systems include tail lights, reversing lights, and stop lights.
Launching of a water vehicle mounted on such a trailer is usually accomplished in the following manner. A ramp is provided at the launch site. The ramp angles downward into the water, and the trailer may be backed down the ramp until the water vehicle is in a position with respect to the surface of the water at which the water vehicle, when means securing it to the towed trailer are removed, will be floatably supported on the surface of the water. A known trailer is shown in the patent document U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,138. A problem with conventional trailers is that a portion of the trailer is necessarily submerged during this launch procedure. Even if the sloping of the launching ramp is gradual, the lighting system of the trailer is likely to become submerged by the time the water vehicle is in a position to be released. Since the trailer is backed to this release position, the backing lights are on during the performance of the launching maneuver and there is a risk that the lighting system will short-circuit upon contact with the water. Additionally, direct exposure to the water can induce corrosion of the metal components of the lighting system. Corrosion will be particularly acute when the trailer is backed into a body of salt water. Moreover, the damage to and safety involved in the exposure of electrical wiring to water and more particularly to salt water, are obvious and significant.